179 | Combating Food Insecurity One Cookie at a Time with Kuda Biza
Our guest today on the pod is Kuda Biza. With only $150 in start up capital, Kuda launched a profitable clothing line from his college dorm room resulting in the education of more than 100 children in Africa. His latest social enterprise is Nunbelieveable where he is the co-founder and CMO. The company has provided over 10 million meals to people in need.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
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Kuda Biza Awarepreneurs Interview
SPEAKERS: Paul Zelizer, Kuda Biza
Paul Zelizer 00:02
I this is Paul Zelizer, and welcome to another episode of The Awarepreneurs podcast. This podcast is all about the intersection of three things, conscious business, social impact, and awareness practices. Each episode, I do a deep dive interview with a thought leader in this intersection. Someone who has market tested experience and is already transforming many lives. Before I introduce today's guests and our topic, I have one request. If you could go over to iTunes or whatever, whatever app you're listening to the show on and do a rating and review. It helps tremendous. Thank you so much. Today, I'm thrilled to introduce you to CUDA bisa. And our topic is combating food insecurity one cookie at a time. With only $150. In startup capital, CUDA launched a profitable clothing line from his college dorm room, resulting in the education of more than 100 children in Africa. His latest social enterprise is none believable, where he is the co founder and the CMO. The company has provided over 10 million meals to people in need. Kuta Welcome to the show. Thank you so much. really honored to have you here. Since we're called aware printers CUDA and one of the ways we like to get to know somebody is to ask you about a wellness or an awareness practice that you use to resource yourself for doing this important work. But it's not always that easy.
Kuda Biza 01:30
So awareness program. You mean like things that I do?
Paul Zelizer 01:34
Like, do you work out? Yeah, some people journal, one woman talked about riding her horse just really helped her feel alive and bring her best self to work.
Kuda Biza 01:43
Nice. Yeah. For me, it's really my morning routine. I'm a firm believer that if you win the morning, you win the day. And, you know, my day usually starts around four 430 in the morning. And, you know, I like to spend the first 1530 minutes, you know, meditating. So for me, I'm a Christian. So I pray I read the Bible. So that's usually how I start the day. And then after that, I work out. So you know, it's, it's, it's really, to just start up the engine, right. So, you know, from about 430 to five, five o'clock, or 515, depending on how long I decided to do the workout, you know, I go either to the gym or downstairs in my house, and I put a workout into just get that sweating. And then my coffee is a hot and cold shower. And when I mean hot and cold, I start off with the shower hot, and then I end it cold. And this just wakes me up. And you know, it's it's a non negotiable. Every shower that I take is like that. So you know, I like to use cold therapy to really get the blood pumping early in the morning. And then after that, you know, I it's all about feeding the beast, right. So make my protein shake and drink celery juice. I also drink lemon water to aukerman to help make my system alkaline. Because it's always about managing the environment. And then I read, I like to read 30 minutes a day, I always have a book or two that I'm reading and then I plan my day and then I get to work. So that morning routine usually takes me about two two and a half hours. But I don't like wake up get on my phone or like you know get on the laptop or things like that I go through that routine each morning. And although I get up like usually at four I probably sit down and you know get on the laptop or my phone probably like around six 630 so I just like to give myself that space where I can really collect my thoughts wake up and and just get ready for the day are a nice example of a mind body spirit approach. Thanks so much for sharing that with us. So to understand you and your work and why you're so passionate about what you do, I think it's really helpful to kind of like understand your background Talk to us a little bit about what was life like for CUDA growing up and then we'll talk about how that factors into what you're doing now. Yeah, life for CUDA growing up was amazing. I was the only son with four sisters. So my parents, especially my mom spoiled me a little bit. And, you know, it was good, you know, because I got to experience a lot of love and attention when I was young. But, you know, when I was around nine years old, it started to go away. So the first event was, you know, I remember a hot summer day I asked my mom for money to buy ice cream and she said no. And for me that was like the first time I was hearing her say that and Made me feel outside of my comfort zone. It was unfamiliar territory. But I'm happy she did that, because that was the moment that I decided to start my very first business. So I started my very first business when I was nine. It was a window cleaning business. And it really came about because I needed money for ice cream. So, you know, the neck that same day, when my mom told me no, I took a bucket and some cleaning supplies went over to my neighbor. And I asked if I could clean a Windows simply because I just didn't want to depend on my mom for for an ice cream. So my parents were supportive of that that entire summer. That's all I did. And I made a really good amount of money for a nine year old. And it just set the tone for for entrepreneurship for me at a very young age. But, you know, growing up in Zimbabwe, also, there was some things that you experienced, you know, living in a developing country. So some of the things that I experienced was learning that not everybody is blessed enough to have access to an education. Public Education in Zimbabwe, unfortunately, is not free. So in my neighborhood, there were some kids who are orphans, or their parents didn't make enough. And they didn't go to school. So it made me question. You know, things like, hey, how, how come people are not making a difference? How come the government isn't stepping in, and it just made me curious, but more importantly, it disturbed me enough that I wanted to do something about it. And one of the ways I figured I could solve it was by leaving Zimbabwe, coming to a place like America becoming super successful, and then leveraging that success to make a difference. And when I finished high school, that was my obsession, how can I get accepted into American college. But, you know, I came from a lower middle class family. So the only option for me to get an American education was through scholarship. And scholarships are competitive, especially it's full, right? If it's a full ride scholarship, but you know, I, I never negotiate with my goals. So once I set my mind on something, you know, I'm in it, you know, till the end, which which, which really, is a good testament because an opportunity came about for me to pursue university education in Zimbabwe, with the funding all covered. But I turned it down, because my goal was to come to America. And to me two years from the day that I declined that scholarship, opportunity to study in Zimbabwe, to when I finally was able to make it to the US. So you know, that two year period where people were telling me you made the wrong decision, you should have listened to us. Forget about this American dream, it doesn't happen to people like us, was a was a period where I was able to really build my mental strength. And I'm happy I did that it wasn't easy, obviously. But it enabled me to realize that growth really comes out of your comfort zone. But anyway, fast forward, you know, now I'm in the US have been able to create a lot of impact through some of the social ventures I've started. So I'm really happy about my upbringing in Zimbabwe, because it, it is through those experiences that it has shaped me to be the person that I am today.
Paul Zelizer 08:25
Now, I can't help but notice, at nine years old, you want an ice cream, and that got you into entrepreneurship. And now you're the co founder of a social enterprise that sells cookies. Sounds like you like food.
Kuda Biza 08:38
Yeah, it's all about dessert, right?
Paul Zelizer 08:40
Buy one give one and good dessert, right? So anyway, just a high five. I like that combo. So in college, he said, Hey, I want to help you meet it to the US. And you decided I don't I don't want to wait till I graduate. I want to help now. So you start this clothing company with $150. And you start selling a lot of clothes and putting kids through schools. Tell us a little bit about that.
Kuda Biza 09:07
Yeah, you know, so when I came to the US, obviously started thinking about hey, you know, why me right? Like, and it's not the case of like, why me but it's more like around? I'm so privileged enough. What can I do in my position now that I'm here, and I remembered, you know, the story of one little girl that I met when I was 10, in Zimbabwe, when when I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, and she she told me that she was waiting to die and she wasn't gonna amount to anything because she wasn't getting an education. So, when I was in college, I was like, Okay, what can I do to make a difference? And the easiest business I could think about at the time was a clothing business because you could just come up with a design, printed on a T shirt and sell the T shirt right pair It's something that's trendy, it's something that my target market, ie college students buy a lot. So I decided to start a clothing company, and I only had 150 bucks that I'd saved from a job working on campus. But to buy the T shirts that I needed, it was like an order that was like maybe about two to $3,000, you know, so I went to the T shirt, printer, and I was like, Listen, I want to start this initiative, you know, this company, but I don't have any money. But I know how to sell. So if you can give me these t shirts on 30 day payment terms, I'll sell the heck out of them over the next 30 days. And I'll make sure that I'll pay you on time. And I'm not sure if it was because I was a good salesman, or if it was because, you know, he really loved the story about impact. But he believed me, he trusted me and he gave me a shot. And essentially, my supplier became my bank. So he printed my T shirts, you know, drop them off on on campus and my dorm room, and I went to work. So you know, just started pushing and selling, and doing whatever I could go into other college campuses, doing fashion shows, and all that stuff, working with fraternities and sororities, and we just went guerilla on it. And on day 28, with sold more than enough to pay him. So I went back, bought another badge and paid them for for for the initial badge. And we just kept moving. And before you know it in about three months where the check enough to donate. And at my school at Lynn, there was actually a group of students that were going to South Africa with two professors for a study abroad experience. And there was a nonprofit organization in South Africa called Noah's Ark that I had identified. You know, they they looked after orphans, and you know, they, they needed money, obviously, for the orphans, to pay for their tuition to go to school. So it was amazing that a group of my peers in college, were able to actually hand deliver the check at this orphanage in South Africa. So it was an experience for them. Because some of them obviously, were my customers, right? to actually see where the money was, was was going and from from my side, I was able to get content, they brought pictures and all that stuff. And and, you know, videos of some of the students that impacted. But it was it was a surreal moment. Because to think that what was once an idea that, hey, I want to invest and change and empower other people's lives became a reality. And this all happened while I was still in school, when the narrative amongst my friends was like, we want to make a difference when we make it right that that was kind of like oh yeah, when I become a millionaire, when I get a good job, when I do this, when I do that, that's when I start making a difference. But here here, I was making a difference now, like, with the hundred 50 bucks that I had in my pocket, I had become resourceful enough to to create something that was able to make a difference in in such a short period of time. So when I think about it, it's a very inspiring story of what happened when I was in college.
Paul Zelizer 13:35
What a powerful story! Listeners, you know, if you've been listening for a while, or if you're a new listener, you know that I have my spiritual highlighters on a pull on my spiritual highlighter and what you just said, queued about not waiting, you know, it's like the Bill Gates version of capitalism, you make a gazillion dollars. And then you can do good things, right. And what I love about what you just said is he said, I wanted to make a difference now. So your college student without a lot of money in your dorm room, say what can I do now? And you found you know, creative financing and partnering with your customers and the people you want to help. And they got to have that. And then they help you tell the stories by taking pictures of what was going on there. Right? You created this flywheel effect. But you didn't wait until there was tons of financial capital you looked around with, you know who you wanted to help. And you said, How can I do that now got the flywheel moving, and it kind of took on its own momentum. Listeners pay attention to what CUDA just taught you. That's incredible wisdom right there. And thank you for that. So once you got out of college, you shifted from t shirts and you started, you know, doing things that had more zeros than $150. Right. Talk to us about your entry into the business world.
Kuda Biza 14:53
Sure. So my entry into the business world was a little bit different than most. So it's actually an interesting story. So, I actually didn't know that there was a college fair, like, you know, a career fair, sorry, on my campus that day. So I'm walking on campus, and I'm seeing everybody dressed in suits, and like, you know, with folders, and I'm like, in like, you know, ripped shorts and a T shirt, flip flops. And I just stumbled into the room. And you see all these companies, they're set up, and they have like tables, and you know, people are nicely dressed. Now I'm in the room, I'm like, Well, I might as well just like, walk around. So I start walking, and I get to this company, and you know, I start asking them questions. And the HR lady seemed to be really intrigued, you know, by me, like the questions I'm asking her, and she starts asking questions about me. And I tell her about, you know, the business that I'd started and the impact and whatnot. What I didn't know was that it was actually an interview, right? She was interviewing me. And next thing I know, she's like, Hey, can I get your email address, I and I give her my information. And the next day, she sends me an email, she's like, Hey, we have a position for you, if you'd like to start. And what was interesting was that, you know, this was a big multi billion dollar fortune 500 company. And to be able to kind of like, set my foot into the door there was was something amazing, especially given the circumstances that, you know, although I wasn't physically prepared, right, like the appearance, I was mentally prepared to ask the right questions, I give the right answers. I showed my intellect. But more importantly, I shared the story of how I took initiative and created something that had value. But long story short, I got hired into this company. And the role that they gave me was to create new businesses, so not new products, or anything like that, like something that didn't exist to think about new ways to grow the company. And for someone who just finished Business School, right, to be able to just get into this role. It was something amazing. And one of the brands that was part of the portfolio for this company was crock pot, the slow cookers. And as we were looking at that brand, one of the things that we realized was that crock pot was not part of the experience, when people actually making the meal in the sense that if you look at Keurig Keurig, were part of the experience through and through, use their Brewer, use the K cup, bowl, crock pot, you'd use the slow cooker, but then you'd have to go buy ingredients somewhere else to make the meal. So the idea was, why don't we come with come up with the line of frozen, slow cooker meals under the crock pot brand called crock pot cuisine. And it was an interesting project. They were like, Alright, you run with this project, and you figure it out. And like you said, the invested more zeros than you'd find on $150. But it was an amazing opportunity for me to grow because I was doing things that I'd never done before. And for me, it became the story of my life, which is you just have to be comfortable being outside of your comfort zone. And it also made me realize the true definition of an entrepreneur. The true definition of an entrepreneur is your problem solver. Right? you're you're you're usually going through uncharted territory, you're seeing a problem, and you're solving it. So in this case, the problem was, if you think of slow cooking, right, slow cooking takes six to eight hours. And if you're a mom, and if you want to have dinner using a slow cooker, and it's a weekday and you have to go to work, you have to start the process before you leave the house to go to work. And if you think about the morning is the busiest time for mom, she has to get ready, she has to get the kids ready, she has to make breakfast, she has to take the kids to school, like all these different things she has to do, she doesn't have 45 minutes to chop up ingredients, you know, do all this stuff and make the meal in addition to all the things that she had to do. So slow cooking wasn't really much of an option when people would say like, Hey, what's for dinner tonight, honey? And this is a question that 100 and 20 million households in America ask 365 times a year. So if you do the math, it's like 46 billion times this question is asked what's for dinner tonight. But because there was no convenient solution to you know, provide a slow cooker meal. You know, a slow cooked meal wasn't really part of the equation unless if it was something that they would plan or Thanksgiving or something like that. So anyway, I started working on developing this concept. And I think get it out. I found you know, a chef in Chicago found a co Packer you know did a lot of research with our customer base and We came up with a product solution for meals in a lineup full of frozen meals that we took to market. And we had thousands of subscribers who are purchasing, you know the meals fairly quickly. And then over time, we're like, hey, this business needs to scale. And we had a strategic partnership with Omaha Steaks, and the business scaled tremendously into the, you know, eight, you know, figure range, right. Um, and for me, it was, it was like an amazing learning experience. Because I learned the food business, I learned how to build an econ business, I really learned how big multi billion dollar companies have systems processes in place, to to innovate, and you know, how to really bring products to market, like, they just don't think of an idea and just take it to market, they do research, they're there, you know, there's certain things that they do to make sure that they minimize the chances of failure. And for me, it was really an eye opening experience. And to have been able to take this business to make it a success. It was it was amazing for me. And you know, after that, I went on to run some of the e commerce businesses within this company. And it was also another learning experience for me because I was now managing businesses with way more zeros than I had ever imagined. And this was at a time when Amazon was really starting to take off in e commerce was really starting to take off. And I had the unique experience to ride shotgun in all of this and really be at the forefront in building world class econ businesses, that were really category defining. And what I always like to say is that in life, you never connect the dots looking backwards, you know, sorry, you never connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect the dots looking backwards. And what I didn't know was like, all of this was, you know, shaping me up for where I am today, which you know, which which is, which is the good thing about life.
Paul Zelizer 22:14
So what you're describing there could be called intrapreneurship, how you can bring an entrepreneurs mindset into a company that already exists and has, you know, revenue, and they can help fund it. And they have processes and relationships. We did an episode, it should be live. By the time this one goes live with Art Bell, who started the Comedy Channel, and different sectors, this is entertainment. But anyway, we're gonna do a whole episode just on entrepreneurship, I'll put a link in the show notes. And if you're interested how that works, and how you can use that as a like paid way to learn, get paid to learn one of my favorite things. Go listen to that episode, and I love what you just shared with us. Thank you so much. So let's do that. I want to take a break here word from our sponsor, when we come back, I want to talk about how you leverage that experience with none believable your company now and some of the things that you're up to, or we do that a word from our sponsor? Do you have an impact business that you'd like to grow? Something that is really designed to help people and you have your idea, and you're excited about and maybe it's up and running and you're looking to scale it, you're looking to help more people? One of the best things I know is podcasting. And let me tell you what, your average podcast episode is 43 minutes long, actually 42 minutes and 43 seconds, but the researchers have rounded up to 43 minutes long, you can really get into the nuance, just like we're doing here with CUDA today. He's a guest on the host. And both of these seats are incredibly powerful to help scale and impact business. If you have some idea of how to do that. podcast listeners are more open to new ideas. They make more money, their leaders and their networks, both personal and professional, they turn to podcasting to learn about new ideas and be able to share your information, your ideas, go through those networks with these, the help of these people who are already plugged in and sharing and who their friends and family and colleagues turn to that incredibly powerful media. If you'd like to learn how to leverage it so you can grow your business and live a good life while doing impactful work. I encourage you to check out the aware printers podcast success team, whether you want to be a guest and learn how to do that really successfully to grow your business, or you want to be a host or you want to do both. We've got you covered. And I want to thank everybody who's in the podcast success team who's sponsoring this podcast. If you'd like more information, go to a wire printers.com forward slash podcast dash success So after that great learning experience, could you say, Okay, thank you so much corporate, you know, large corporate, it's time to kind of go walk a little further in the impact round. And you decided to join us startup or help found a startup. That's called num believable. Tell us a little bit about that. Why did you start it and what is it?
Kuda Biza 25:23
Yes. So one of the things that happened when I was growing up in Zimbabwe, was that we were hit by a severe drought. In 1992. And I'm, the drought was actually coined Southern Africa's worst drought of the 20 20th century by the New York Times. And it wasn't just in Barbary, South Africa was affected Mozambique was affected Botswana, Zambia, you know, a few countries actually, Swaziland, Lesotho. And it was really bad. And it was, you know, my first real encounter with hunger. Because Zimbabwe were used to be known as the bread and basket of Africa, the breadbasket of Africa, because, you know, we were in we still are, but not to the extent of, you know, billion days. But agri carrying economy, right, we were producing, and we always had a surplus, we're exporting food across the world. But that drought in 1992, left us there with nothing, like like millions of livestock died, people were going for three, four days without any food, I can go on and on and on. And during that time, like I said, I got to experience hunger. So when I received the call, and they're like, a CUDA, there's, there's a, there's something that we're working on, and we feel like you need to hear about it. And we actually think you're the guy to to help us really build this. I was interested. But it was an interesting, ask, because I came to America with $40 in my pocket when I came from, of Africa. And now I was in this corporate environment, I had a really good job, six figure salary, running a $75 million e commerce division to many, you know, they'll say like, you've achieved the American dream, right? So I wouldn't fault them, given the success I had been able to achieve. So I was comfortable. I was I was really in a good place. And now I get this call saying like, Hey, you need to listen to this, there's this opportunity for a startup. So a lot of people wouldn't have even paid attention to it, right? Because who would want to leave a multi billion dollar enterprise to go start something new, but I love to stay open to possibility. So I went to the meeting, and I listened and they told me about the story about how a guy learned about a group of nuns that were being evicted in San Francisco. He went out and decided to help the nuns learned that the nuns were selling cookies. And using the funds to you know, fund a soup kitchen that was feeding, you know, hundreds of people every single day, like in San Francisco, there's a huge issue there with the high cost of living, high numbers of people were homeless. So the nuns were just being selfless and and and doing their part to help people in their city. So anyway, the guy came up with the idea of like, Hey, why don't we create a mission based cookie company? So similar to like what Toms chooses has done with a buy one, give one? Same thing? bombas? Can we do something similar with cookies, or baked goods? And remember what I said when when I said you can never really connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect the dots looking backwards. When this gentleman and his his his partners that the people who had agreed to fund this idea, you know, to to turn it into a business, when they put together the the skeleton or like the framework of the person who they wanted to be a co founder for the business. They wanted someone who had started a social enterprise. Well, when I was in college, I did that. I built a social enterprise with 150 bucks. And we were able to send hundreds of children in Africa to school. They were also looking for someone who had started a food business. Well, I had done that with crock pot cuisine created a food business. They wanted someone with e commerce experience. I was running a $75 million e commerce business. So I ticked all the boxes. So for me, I'm like wow, this is really interesting. And when they told me that, hey, we want to have one for one for me also, because like I said, my experience growing up in somebody With how experienced hunger, it was kind of like at a time was really looking for fulfillment. And my sister had passed away a couple years back. And her passing led me on this journey and asking questions like, you know, am I really doing my part, you know, in making a difference and living out my purpose is what I'm doing every day. Fulfilling, right? I'm just chasing success, and not doing things that give me fulfillment. And these are serious questions that I think everybody should ask, you know, regularly, so that you make, you know, you make sure that you're doing things that really give you fulfillment, because you never know when your bus ride will end, and you transition to the other side. So for me, it was it was a no brainer, I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to use my talents, knowledge and skills to really impact people, you know, I was doing well in my career, you know, generating millions of dollars in profit and sales, but I was not fulfilled, I was not fulfilled in the sense that I wasn't doing something that had a direct impact that I could tangibly see that, hey, I've done this, and this is the result. So I decided to quit corporate America, and join this business and become a co founder, and really just take this idea and turn it into a business. And I was fortunate enough that, you know, the people involved were people who had been and are successful, and really passionate about making a difference. One of them is Tony Robbins. He's the guy who actually met the nuns. He was the guy on the plane, who learned about the nuns. And, you know, when he was younger, if you read about his story, there was a time in his life when he was hungry and homeless. So hunger is one of his big passions in life. And then the other guy is my globe, and Michael Loeb super successful guy, he's one of the guys behind priceline.com. And has done you know, some some really amazing things in business. And for me, to be able to work with them, learn from them, and build something with them was also something that really was exciting. But it was really centered around building something that can really make a difference. So so that's why I decided to leave corporate america and, you know, build non believable, and what we have today with non believable is a mission based company where for every cookie that we sell, we donate a meal through one of our partners soup kitchens. And, you know, the hunger issue in America is big. You know, more than 14 million people struggle with food insecurity. This was pre COVID. Right now, Feeding America projects that the number is around 54 million given COVID, and everything that's happened. So to think that there are more people in America, who are struggling with food insecurity than they are people in Canada, it's something that you can't really wrap your head around, especially given that America is one of, if not the wealthiest nation in the world. And, you know, we can just leave it to government to solve this. It needs every person in the value chain to solve it, you know, so it starts off with the intrapreneurs. Remember, I said intrapreneurs are problem solvers. So the problem we're solving here is twofold. Obviously, hunger is one, but also solving the problem for consumers who are looking for brands that have a purpose for their everyday, you know, necessities, you know, people need to eat, and cookies is everybody loves cookies. And being a brand that has a purpose. And providing something that people love to eat is is something that was avoided in the marketplace, and we were able to bring it and you know, we're working on building it and hopefully we can inspire others to look for other social issues that they can innovate around and we can all make the world a better place. beautiful story Kara.
Paul Zelizer 34:17
In a second, I’m going to ask you some specifics about Nunbelievable, but just wind back with me just for a second. The buy one give one model - it's it's a pretty common in the values based business world. As a matter of fact, there's a website, I think it's B1G1.com - it stands for buy one give one. Anyway, I'll put a link in the show notes. But literally, there's a whole website just dedicated to the buy one give one business model. Talk to us a little bit about why did you all go with that business model? And how do you think that works as a values based purpose based impact based business like is that one you'd recommend as a as a good solution in the space or you know, do you think there's times it's a fit and times it's less of it?
Kuda Biza 34:58
I never think that there's a Ever a one size fits all, I think you need to look at your own personal situation and what you're trying to build, you know, what we like about the one the buy one give. One is that it's simple. You know, when you eat, someone else's eating, it makes it makes total sense. People get it. But you know, you need to understand that you're building a business first and foremost, right? Because it is through building a very robust and successful and profitable business that you'll be able to actually give. So you need to make sure that the unit economics of the buy one give one model works in your situation . So if if you're working on something, and your unit economics don't work, to build a buy one, give one, then don't, right. If you're not able to then build a profitable successful business with a buy one, get one. But if you can do it, do it. Because then it's easier for the customer to understand. And you make a lot of impact for every unit you're selling, you're giving back. So I would never say like, you know, you know, it is the go to solution. Now, there are many ways where you can do different variations. In fact, there's a book called evolved enterprise by a nick silver. And in that book, he has 13 different models of how you can be a purpose driven business. And how you can integrate purpose into your business by one give one is one of those models, but the other two that have other examples that he shares in that book that you can go reference and see. And these are businesses that are successful making a lot of impact. You know, so so there are many ways to skin a cat.
Paul Zelizer 36:46
Cool, we'll put a link to the book. Thanks for mentioning that one. So Nunbelievable, has been going about a year and you know, you had the good fortune, I don't know how to describe benefit of some really leveraged partners. Like Tony Robbins, a huge brand in the world, certainly in the US. So like, in the past year, you guys have moved the needle, like you've grown pretty quickly tell us like, Where are you a year into it? And like what's on your radar now that the company's like up running, you're selling a lot of cookies? You know, what are the kind of things you're thinking about now?
Kuda Biza 37:23
We're thinking about how we can feed the million people very quickly. You know, for me, that's the thing that keeps me up at night, you know, when I get old? And, you know, we've set that milestone to say like, hey, how can we feed a million people? Right now we fed, you know, more than, you know, 100,000, I think we're getting close to 200,000 at this point. But we want to get to a million fairly quickly. So that's number one. The second thing is how can we get people out of soup kitchens. Because yes, it's great that we are providing a solution in providing meals. But as the old adage goes, right, you don't want to be just giving a man a fish, you want to teach a man how to fish. So as a business, what we really want to do long term is to partner up with organizations that have programs that can then you know, help some of these people that are homeless and hungry, to get their lives back on track and actually become contributing members of society. So, you know, as a company that's just a year old, we're not there yet. But we're thinking about it. And we're looking into how we can get to that point. So for us, that's really the transformation we seek, we want to be counting the number of people that we help bring out of these deer situations, and, and set them up on a path where we break, you know, you know, generational cycles of poverty, right cycles of poverty that, you know, have been with them for quite some time, and maybe even their future generations. And, and really have them become people that can can make a difference in the world as well. So So that's our framework. That's our North Star. And that's what we're striving for.
Paul Zelizer 39:18
In addition to Nunbelievable, you've written a book, and it's about something you call the Spear Method. Tell us about the book.
Kuda Biza 39:27
Yeah, you know, coming from Africa is like, I need to find a book that, you know, has a title that ties me to Africa. And you know, a spear is obviously something that does that, right? I'm only kidding. I'm the spear method. It's actually a method that I was able to discover. When I went on a quest of how could I balance, success and fulfillment? So I, I touched on it earlier, but it was something that I really went on a quest in in really thinking through like, hey, how can I be successful and be fulfilled at the same time? I don't want to compromise because sometimes people be like, Well, let me just focus on success. Let me chase the money. And then hopefully, it'll give me fulfillment. But sometimes it doesn't. There are some miserable millionaires out there some miserable billionaires out there with all the money in the world, but they're not happy. So I didn't want to be one of those. Right? So I was like, how can I, you know, find a framework that I can apply to my life, but more importantly, that I can share to the world so that more people can be successful and fulfilled at the same time, and it led to the spear method. And the spear method, it's really an acronym for, you know, s it, seek your purpose. So that's the first one, you really want to understand your purpose, your why, you know, the gift that you've been given to share with the world. There's so many people who don't even know their why they don't know their gifts, they don't know their purpose. And it will be very, very difficult for you to be fulfilled, even if you become successful in other realms, if you're not living your purpose. So that's the first step, which is S. In the book, I talk about ways that you could explore to help you find your purpose. You know, so you can ask our friends, we know you really well, there are certain things that you can do, you know, to raise your own self awareness, and hopefully lead you to that answer. And then the second one P is planning. So once you found your purpose, you want to come up with a plan on how you can achieve it. Because what's the point of finding out your purpose and your why, and then you don't develop a plan on how you're gonna achieve it, right. So it's super important to do that. And one of the things I talk about in the book is that planning is not static, where you just do it once. And that's it. It's actually a very dynamic process. And it's something that you need to be doing regularly. Because you learn new information. And as you're progressing and becoming better, you achieve certain milestones. So once you reach a certain level, you need to change your plan a little bit, right. So you definitely need to be planning constantly how you can achieve that purpose that you were set out to achieve. And then the next
Paul Zelizer 42:28
one do is improvement approach to planning, right?
Kuda Biza 42:31
Yep, yep, yep. Correct. And then the next one is execute. You know, you have to take action. You know, if you know your purpose, and you come up with a plan, and then go sit on the couch, you're never going to achieve anything, right. So execution is key. And, you know, the limited resource that we all have is time. And you just need to make sure you make the most of it. And the way you're going to make the most of your time is by taking action. And then after that is a which is achieved. So you're going to achieve some sort of goal, you know, or milestone, while you take action, it could be 100%, it could be 20%, but you're going to achieve something. And once you achieve that, you want to acknowledge what that is go back to your planning phase to then say like, okay, okay, now I'm here, what am I going to go and execute next. And that's why the are for the spear is repeat. Because you plan you execute, you achieve something, then you analyze what you've achieved, and then you repeat, right, you go back to kind of like the planning process and executing and achieving our fate. So that's what spear is all about. And if, if you have clarity on your why, and you have a plan on how you're going to do it, and then you're just constantly executing the eighth wonder of the world will will lead you to, to your purpose. And when I say the eighth wonder of the world, I talk about the compound interest effect. So it's not just isolated to finance, it's also ice, it also applies to action. So you need to be taking consistent action and then over time, you know, there's a compounded effect of all those actions that will then result in you achieving your purpose or your goal or that milestone that you want to achieve much quicker than if you're not taking action consistent action towards your purpose.
Paul Zelizer 44:30
That this This podcast is an example of my compound interest, right like I've been adding now for I think yesterday we published Episode 172 more than three years and people hear an episode now and this if they like it, they'll go back and they'll listen to an episode number one, or number seven or number 25. Right. And just doing that regularly wasn't like I turned it on and started getting immediately results but 172 episodes in and paying attention and getting better. And the guests are getting better known. And we're getting more feedback in the community that's associated with this podcast is growing. That's compound interest. Paul Zelizer, Stiles, hello, you're saying could and I love that continuous feedback, like as opposed to like, it's a fixed thing, and you get it right once and you turn it on and you're taking action, and you immediately get the results you want. I just love how what you're describing is very much like what my path has been and what I lead my clients through. So go check out the books listener, I just think this is a fabulous resource. So two people, I want to invite you to give some suggestions or advice to CUDA, the first one, we have listeners who are like you, when you were in corporate America, and you're like in a leadership role, and you know, life's pretty good. But you're not, you're having success in the world as the world defines it. But your purpose is asking you to do something more impactful. What would you say to somebody who's in that seat right now?
Kuda Biza 46:02
If, if they're in a seat where they're trying to become more impactful, and they're in a position of power, did I exaggerate that
Paul Zelizer 46:11
exactly?
Kuda Biza 46:14
Well, I think the answer to that is easy. You just need to start. And if you don't know how, you know, you can you can find partners and and people and experts who can help guide you with that process. But I think you just have to be willing to to get started. But more importantly, you have to be committed to go all the way through. So I think having that commitment and desire to you know, make a difference, and be willing to invest into bringing in people who can help you get there, if you don't know how, I think that's the best way to do it. If you think about it, right? If you want to become successful quickly, you want to get mentors, people who have been there done that. And you know, they can help you avoid mistakes. So I think finding a mentor guide to someone who can really help you think through what it is that you want to achieve, especially if you're in a position in power, I think that will be the direction I'll go. But as a leader, if if if you can make if you if you're if you can be committed to taking whatever action needs to be taken to to achieve whatever it is that you need to achieve. I think that's another thing that I would say you should be, you should be ready to do.
Paul Zelizer 47:37
And then the second person could, as is our young people, we love our young listeners, social entrepreneurship is one of the fastest growing majors in college can and sustainable business are the fastest growing majors and college campuses around the world. And you talked about like starting this T shirt companies fashion company in your dorm room. Well, like most students aren't in their dorm. Sorry, we are in a really incredible time because of COVID-19 and the environment, the economic and environmental situation, there's a lot going on. And it's a very chaotic time for young people to be kind of thinking about how to enter into the world of career and work. It's never easy, but especially right now, what would you say to a young person right now, other than go get queued his book, which I'm going to say, what else might you offer to a young person who's trying to make sense of these times, and how to step into the world of work with their values and with their integrity.
Kuda Biza 48:39
Young people are gifted in the sense that they have things that as older people don't have. And one of it is time. So make the most of that time. So apply yourself, show up 100% every single day, don't leave anything on the table. You know, don't focus on resources focus on being resourceful. So, my advice to them is to really look, you know, at every single minute on their schedule and make sure that they are applying themselves, you know, positively to to make a difference in their life. Because, you know, how you do anything is how you do everything. So, if you are not really serious about you know, how you're applying yourself, are you showing up and making the most of the time that you have, by the time you start taking action you've already missed out it's a huge opportunity cost. It's it's the same case of like let's say if you start investing when you're like 19 you can stop investing by the time he had like 26 and then someone can start investing at 26. You know, and then by the time both of you you're 65 the person who started early and ended soon might have more money than you because of the compound interest and time factor to it. So the biggest thing I would say to the youth right now is make the most of your time, apply yourself, don't waste time doing silly things. Just Just go at it. You never know when your bus ride is going to end. So you might as well show up 100%. So yeah, so, you know, that's, that's what I'll share for now.
Paul Zelizer 50:24
Could it's been fabulous having you on the show? And before we go, is there something you're hoping we would talk about today that we haven't gotten to? Or is there something you want to leave our listeners with a suggested action they might take or something to be thinking about as they leave this interview?
Kuda Biza 50:44
Yeah, um, the three most important days in life are the day you're born, the day you find out why. And each day you act on your y. So make sure that every single day you're acting on your y.
Paul Zelizer 51:01
A great advice. Good, thank you so much for being on the show
Kuda Biza 51:04
today. Thank you so much, have a wonderful day.
Paul Zelizer 51:08
So that's all the time we have for today's interview. A couple things before we go. We now drop episodes twice a week, early in the morning, every Tuesday and Thursday. And we love listener suggested guests and topics for those interviews. So if you have an idea of something we should be talking about on the show, please go to the website and go to the contact page. You'll see our guidelines, what we're looking for. And if it feels like a fit, please, please get a hold of me. That's all the time we have for today's show. Thank you so much for listening in. Before we go, please take really good care in these points in time. Thank you for all the positive impacts that you're working for in our world.